Vapor separator



Oct. 9, 1951 L. E. JOHNSON 2,570,557

VAPOR SEPARATOR Filed May 29, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E I 'L INVENTOR.

' Jo finson BY ATTORNEY Oct. 9, 1951 L. E. JOHNSON 2,570,557

' VAPOR SEPARAI'OR Filed May 29, 1946 2 Sheet-Sheet 2 A TTORNEY Patented Oct. 9, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VAPOR SEPARATOR Lloyd Johnson, Peoria, Ill., assignor to Caterpillar Tractor 00., San Leandro, Califi, a. corporation of California; .Applicat'ion May 29, 1946, Serial No. 673,185

This invention relates to vapor separators and more particularly to devices employed to separate vapors or gases from liquid in a closed system and to permit the vapors'to escape from the System without permitting the escape of liquids.

Vapor separators are Often desirably employed in connection with fuel systems in internal combustion engines as the more or less volatile fuels used in such engines give off large quantities of vapor which unless separated from the liquid fuel will under some conditions interfere with proper functioning of the engine. The vapor separator herein disclosed is of a type which can be readily used in such a fuel system though its adaptability to other uses will be apparent from the disclosure which follows. s

It is an object of this invention to provide a vapor separator which is simple in construction and positive in operating and in which a closely fitting liquid tight valve 'is easily operated by a small float buoyantly suspended in the liquid from which the vapor is separated. Further and more specific objects and advantages of the invention are made apparent in the following specification wherein a preferred form of the invention is described by reference to the accompanying drawings.

.In the drawings:

' 'Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a vapor separator chamber within which is disposed a vapor separator embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line II II. of Fig. 1

Fig. 3 is a similar view taken on the line III'-III of Fig. 1; and s Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line IV-IV in Fig. 1.

In Fig. l of the drawings the vapor separator of the. present invention is disclosed as contained within a housing 4 which forms a liquid chamher 6 into which fuel or other liquid from which vapor is to be separated may be directed as through a supply line I. The housing 4 may also. be provided with a discharge line not showii or may be in communication with another tank or housing forming a part ofTa fuel: system or the like. A float 8 preferably in the form of a hollow metal body of any desired shape is disposed within the chamber 6 of the housing and is suspended from a rotatable valve element 9 by means of a bracket l I. The bracket II is shown as rigidly secured to a sleeve i2 which fits over a cylindrical stem portion of the valve element 9 and is secured against rotation with relation thereto as by a pin indicated at I5.

2 Claims. (Cl. 137-69) When liquid entering the chamber 6 attains a level sufficiently high to raise the float 8', a rotary' motion is imparted to' the valve element 9'. The element 9 is journaled for rotation in a nonrotatable valve sleeve i6 which projects into the chamber 6' and is carried by a cover member IT. The cover [-1 closes an opening at one side of the chamber of sufficient size to permit removal of the separator valve and float. A pin i8 disposed within the cover [1 engages a notch ['9 formed in an enlarged portion of the sleeve Hi to prevent rotation of the sleeve. Cap screws such as indicated at H in Fig. 1 retain the cover in place and a suitable gasket 22 may be employed for providing a fluid tight connection between the cover and the housing. A cap 23 is secured to the cover member I"! by screw means or the like", not shown, and abuts the enlarged portion of the valve sleeve l6 to prevent its en'dwi'se' movement with relation to the housing and this cap forms a point of connection for a vapor discharge line shown at 25 which may direct escaping vapors to the atmosphere-or to a suitable disposal chamber, not shown; A bushing 2A is shown as employed at the connection between the line 25' and the cap 23.

The valve sleeve I6 is provided with a milled slot or aperture 28' forming" a passage for the communication of vapors from its outer surface to its inner surface and a similar slot 29' is formed in the valve element 9 and communicates with a longitudinal bore 3| which extends to an end of the valve element. A sleeve 32 rotatably embraces the portion of the valve sleeve it which extends into the chamber 6, and radial ports 33 (see Figs. 1 and 2) in this sleeve communicate with a channel 36 which circumscribes the valve sleeve i6 and which also registers with the slot 28 formed therein. One function of the sleeve 32 is to prevent splashing. liquid in the chamber 6 from escaping too readily through the vapor outlet which is provided by the slots 28 and 29 when they are in registry with each other.

In the operation of the structure so far described, liquid entering the chamber 6 through the supply line I will cause the float to rise through its buoyancy to the position illustrated in Fig. 2' is which position the valve element 9 has been rotated by its connection with the float to a point where its slot 29 is out of registry with the slot 28 in the valve sleeve [5. Thus, any liquid which enters the slot 28 through the channel 36 and the ports 33 in the sleeve 32 cannot escape through the longitudinal bore 3! of the valve member 9. If, on the other hand, the liquid entering through the supply line 1 contains vapors or gases, such vapors or gases will rise in the chamber 6 and by their occupancy of the upper portion of such chamber will prevent the liquid level of the chamber from rising to a point where it will actuate the float 8. Consequently, the float will depend by gravityto a position in which the slot 29 of the. valve element registers with the slot 28 of the valve sleeve and the vapors in the upper portion of the chamber 6 will be free to escape through ports 33 and channel 36 and eventually into the bore 3| of the valve element from which they may pass, as will presently appear, to the vent line 25. The valve elementis preferably very closely fitted within the valve sleeve l6 so that even volatile liquids will not escape when the valve element is rotated to its closed position as illustrated in Fig. 2. Even,

though this closeness of iiit offers some resistance to the turning of the valve element, the arrangement of the float is such that considerable leverage is obtained andthe force. applied in rotating the valve element as the liquid level rises in the chamber 6 is much greater than that afforded by the buoyancy of the float alone. The slots. 28 and 29 extend longitudinally with relation to the cylindrical ports in which they are formed so that upon registering with each other a relatively large port is provided for the escape of vapors.

Endwise movement of the valve element 9 is prohibited by a collar 4| received in a suitable groove circumscribing the valve element as shown in Figs. 1 and 4 and the collar 4| bears against the end of the valve sleeve I6. notched as indicated in Fig. 4 so that it may be slipped onto the shaft and the assembly of the cap 23 in the position shown in Fig. 1 serves to prevent its removal therefrom. This prevents The collar is axial movement of the valve element 9 in one direction. Axial movement in the opposite direction may be induced by pressure of fluid within the chamber 6 on the end of the valve element 9 and a thrust bearing with a free moving bearing surface is provided by disposing a ball 42 in a conical recess in the end of the valve element. The ball 42 is retained in place by a cup like retainer 43 which may be press fitted over the end of the element 9 and which has a central perforation to permit the ball to protrude and bear against a disc like plate 44 disposed within the cap member 43. The ball 42 provides a hearing surface of small area which absorbs the thrust of the valve element 9 so that even though the valve element may be pressed outwardly by the pressure of fluids within the chamber 6, its freedom to rotate will not be materially hindered by this thrust engagement. A plurality of orifices 46 are provided in the disc 44 to permit vapors to pass through it toward the vent line 25. Orifices 4'! shown in Figs. 1 and 4 communicate between the longitudinal bore 3| of the valve element 9 and the circumscribing groove within which the collar AI fits and permit the exit of vapors from the bore of the valve element toward the vent line.

The proper operation of the vaporseparator as it is thus far disclosed depends upon its being disposed in a substantially vertical position so that gases entering the chamber 6 and separating from the liquid therein will rise toward the top of the chamber and eifect downward swinging movement of the float. This movement opens the valve to vent the gases. It is conceivable, however, that the vapor separator may be inverted in operation as, for example, if it is used on an aircraft engine and the aircraftwere temporarily flying upside down. In this event, the liquid within the chamber 6 would occupy that portion of the chamber which is shown in Fig. 1 as the upper portion and the float would be swung to its Fig. 1 position not by gravity as indicated in Fig. 1 but by buoyant efiect of the liquid upon it. Escape of liquid through the vapor separator valve is prevented in such an event by a pendulum shown at 31 which is secured to the rotatably mounted sleeve 32 and carrying a lug 38 which projects to a position for engagement with the float 8. In the event that the entire vapor separator is inverted, the pendulum 3! will fall by gravity and the lug 38 by engagement with the float 8 will hold the float in What is normally its upward or valve closing position, which position is illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. The weight of the pendulum' is sufficient to overcome the buoyant efiect on the float of the liquid in the chamber 6 and therefore the valve is maintained in its closed position and liquid is prevented from entering the vent passage which is intended only for the escape of vapor.

I claim:

1. In a vapor separator a chamber, a vapor venting valve comprising, a tubular valve sleeve, a valve element rotatable in said sleeve, ports in said element and sleeve adapted to register upon rotation of the element to permit the escape of vapor, a float carried bythe valve element for actuation thereof by liquid in the chamber, and a sleeve embracing the valve sleeve and. having a port out of register with the port of the valve sleeve but connected therewith by passage means to prevent the escape of splashing liquid through the valve when it is open.

2. In a vapor separator a chamber, a normally open vent valve adjacent the upper end of the chamber, a pivoted float adapted to rise and close said valve upon the rise of liquid level in the chamber, and weight means pivoted coaxially with the fioat and engageable with the float to retain it in its valve closing position in the event the chamber is inverted.

LLOYD E. JOHNSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 7 Date 733,758 Spinney July 14, 1905 1,026,884 Salmon May 21, 1912 1,185,389 Ferrer May 30, 1916 1,956,077 Mojonnier Apr. 24, 1934 2,194,348 Zoder Mar. 19, 1940 2,265,282 Heinrich Dec. 9, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 265,797 Great Britain Dec. 13, 1926 

